Sulphur extractor



April 14, 1931. j CROWLEY ET AL 1,800,605

SULPHUR EXTRACTOR Filed July 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l l/Y VE/Y 7025 A2 Tf/UE ICEOh/LEY HAROLD 1.. HAZE/Y THE/R 14 7702/75).

April 14, 1931. A. J. CROWLEY ET AL 1,800,605

SULPHUR EXTRACTOR Filed July 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5y mwwim THE/E A 7'7'0/9/YEK Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT FFHCE ARTHUR J. CROWLEY, F SULPHUR, NEVADA, AND HAROLD L. HAZEN, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOES, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SIERRA SULPHUR GORPORA- TION L'lll, A CORJPORATION 01 NEVADA SULPHUR EXTRACTOR Application filed July 6, 1927. Serial m. 203,792.

Our invention relates to an apparatus and method for extracting sulphur from sulphur ores, sulphur concentrates or any other sulphur containing material in which the sulphur is mechanically enclosed by the material, and the broad object of the invention heat is to extract the sulphur by means of a ed liquid at a high pressure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sulphur extractor in which the pressure is so maintained by means of an outlet valve, so as to gradually remove the sulphur from the extractor.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sulphur extractor which is compact in structure and which adapts itself for ready manipulation.

Another obj ectof the invention is the provision of a sulphur extractor having hollow trunnions; one for the admittance of a steam pipe, the other for a sulphur outlet pipe.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sulphur extractor having steam distribution coilslocated so as to rapidly extract the sulphur from the sulphur containing materials.

,Other objects of the invention together with the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of our preferred embodiment of means for practicing the invention and which is illustrated in the drawings .accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the showing made by'the said description and drawings, as we may adopt variations of our preferred form withinthe scope of our invention as set forth in the claims.

the sulphur extractor, the plane of section being indicated by the line2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an end elevation of the sulphur extractor, looking towards the sulphur outlet point.

In terms of broad inclusion, our sulphur extractor comprises a chamber which has therein a filter medium upon which the sulphur containing materials are adapted to rest. Leading into the chamber is a pipe for admittance of extracting steam which is maintained at a pressure high enough to form superheated water having a temperature sufficientto melt the sulphur which flows thru the filter into the bottom of the chamber and collects around and covers a sulphur outlet pipe which leads from within or from the chamber to a point outside of the chamber and has a valve therein. A gauge pressure of about 15 lbs. per square inch in order to obtain a temperature of around 250 F. is sutiicient to melt the sulphur. By regulating the degree of opening of the valve, the sulphur extracted by the superheated water gradually passes out thru the pipe due to the fact that the pressure in the chamber is higher than atmospheric pressure. The sulphur outlet pipe is provided with a steam jacket so as to pre vent the sulphur from freezing in its passage thru the pipe.

More specifically, our sulphur extractor comprises a pressure chamber 1 which consists of two sections 2 and 3 held together by means of the bolts 41 passing thru the flanges 5 and 6 of the top and bottom sections respectively, and a removable head 7 clamped into position on the top of the chamber. The chamber is mounted on hollow trunnions 8 and 9, resting on the supports 10 and 11. A steam pipe 12 passing thru the core of trunnion 8 leads into the bottom of the chamber, preferably below the surface of a filter plate 13, consisting, preferably, of fused silica or any other suitable straining medium, maintained in position by suitable supports 14. Branch or primary steam pipes 15 are preferably located near and above the filter plate, while below the filter plate the. chamber may be steam jacketed or preferably provided with a steam coil 16 in order to maintain the proper temperature in that portion of the chamber. A stuffing box gland 17 around pipe 12, serves to seal the core of trunnion 8.

A sulphur outlet pipe 18 extends from a jacketed 'phssag The: head is I tek '7 at its endadjacent the chnrnben'and pro; Vided ith a; steam inlet fp'ipe 718a .WhlCh r'of theIpipe- Withinthe chamber. 'lllepasi sage-l9 is continued thruga 'balljoiht 21' and estufhng box gland 23, which r-fits around pipe 24," connected to thesulphur outlet pipe.

A yalve25 perin'itsthe escape of steam thru asSzige-IQ While alve 26 perfhitsthe pissage of the inelten sulphur thru the. pipe By means of game? and 28, thecharnber yte'wtmd-on bearings 29-.and 30 by the drawings; 7 it Ponjin the follbwing'in'anner, The head may 'be fieinoyed and thru e suitable spout or other ineansthe sulphur conta n ngmaterlal the'fil" pleteyfiAfter thesulbhur has been depbs edjenlthejfilter'jplete', the head,-is

Qbei' which isv above atmospheric pressure, so

is, to provide temperature high enough to glfielt the sulphur when the extrzietingls'team g the speed which the operation is can ;ried on' 'jjA pressuiie high endiigh to convert? part of. the ste ani intofsuperhezited Water, is 'allewed to-deve'lbp within the; clianibe jjBy' means of valyeZG the temperature and presv sureWithinthe'cheinber may'be jreadilycon-j v I trelledg iThesuperheetedj water: permeates the-sulphur containingnieteriahmelting the f' i liph i a d ext act ng i th te r i l; The

" beihg heavierthan the Water elndheying, a"

l greater surface tension, cblle'cts bot- V tomi'to e level above the outlet pipe 18 Where" itf -is maintained': in molten condition" by v V 7' 'lnt'li's 1 oi the. -he eting coils and is gradually Withdrawn thru. pipe; lSYrom the 'chal nber" ldueto'the fact thet'the pressureeutside the "chamber 'i's less thanithat withinpasses thru the bearing of m-un ienfsa'. "AL fball joint-20 permits movement of the'end" thru a'pip'e 22', the end of-Which is sealed by turning the wheel'ig lesis readily seen from Thef operetion 0f the lapparatiis is I eerried v such as ore 0r .coneentrate is {deposited on f igfqstene dinto positiom end the 'valvesfare 1 djusted to nieihteinepressure 1n the charm c 7 c l-s e s ii e adin iinolte'ir'i sulphur thus freed ifrem the sulphur containing material. runs j thru the" filter Tend f Q The sulphur runs out th'rjulth'e f sulphur 1 i letw i'sh ,i s .,sl .r oufid by t e Stam ,Ithus''nieintaining thesul ;phat-inm l n'cbr diti ntr 1 1 Afterthesulphu'rhes been: extracted from r the ,cencen'trate end-niost'ofitha been withdraWnfrOm;the'iehember;the steanu isshut'c I 'ofifand the yelveslere jcompletely opened; j eff 'andfdlie t0 the de-. .{"$31i@$;, inlpressu er- W ih tct usesat' dmp. cs5 emperature, thermaining sulphur ii'ithef V bottorn o'f the chamber solidifies. The chamber is then inverted by turning; it over on its trunnions, thus discharging the residue 7 remaining on the filter lateya ind the Water;

in the] bottom ,of the c ember is 112L150: (lischarged. an'dgili its 1 passage thru? the'flfilter plzite it flushes and cleans the platefi The solidified sulphur remains in the. bottem 0f the chamber; The chamber is then; turned to its normalpositiom; and; e fresh cherge of concentrate is placed on the filtenplate and the process repeated, I

The sulphur remeinlng 1n the' bottom of the ehamber n'leltsfi'ipon continuation of-the pr00ess,*hence' it Will be ebseryedjthat no steam can pass Out thru the sulphur outlet pipe 18, since a seal of sulphur is falways we claimz, w p i 1; An apparatus for ez'ztr'acting sulphur.

c01nprising'a cha 111ber', h 01l0w trunnions for supporting the chamber, a; steam il'l'let,pipe

meintainedebeut the epening inthe pipe,

passing .thru one trunnib'n; and fort-fling." a V tight 'jojin't therew th 5 and la sulphur; Outlet pipe 1 passing 'thr-u the ether trunnion'sq es 7 Pr vid -e Pas a e ll d ei jp pe 7' an apparatus. tor ex r ctin Su phu a v chamber, a cover1therefor, a); filter Within thechalnber, "a steam inlet pipe leading into the; chamber and jextendingftq ap0int; be-

tween the .brott'om 0f the [chemberjandIsaid filter, sulphur outlet 'pipe'extending; r0111 0f the chaniber I the filter, pessa'ge r ing the ulp o tle .P P

In zine paratus'for extraetingisulphur,

V V I l "the chamber at e point between the bottem' ling st m is iadm -ted thr t e e lzplp iid also. thru the branch pipes, thus in'cre as and ex n ngt' faip below f d t 1 andf Stem distributing means 'iabve said a l hanibepe filterivithin hdchembege iindzex ending to a "po nt. b wee'n'rth .tO 'i 0fhe chamber" end the: gfil fa; Steam "5.111 anappargtus forextrsetin'g'sulphur, e chamber; a "filter Within the chamber, a

steam inlet leading into the'eheihber e chamber and extendin'g'to e p dint'betw een' the bettoin 0 e amb if d" e fil ers st emf tributing means above thefilt'er; end a, suI-' phur outlet pipe" extending from} the chamber at a p'oint below satid filter.

356M1 1 hand In testimony whe'reof; we hayeihereunto 

